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/lit/ - Literature

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1521498 No.1521498 [Reply] [Original]

So Mark Twain is taught in schools all over the United States. He's without a doubt considered one of the greatest writers of the country, and any attempt to censor his books is seen as an attack on the very fabric of our culture. He's kind of a big deal here.

But what do you foreign people think of him? Edgar Allen Poe is often referenced in British or Japanese any other number of sources, but I can't recall hearing much about Twain. Do you guys care about him as much as we do? Do your universities have classes dedicated to his work?

>> No.1521538

He called a nigger a nigger. I like him. (And I hate niggers.)

>> No.1521540

>>1521538
>>>/new/
inb4 stormfag derails this thread

>> No.1521545

We know Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer over here, but it's not viewed as high literature like Poe.

>> No.1521550

>>1521545
This is bullshit coming from an ignoramus, of course.

>> No.1521555

>>1521550
Of course. Why state the obvious?

>> No.1521581

>>1521550
>>1521555
I smell famefaggotry.

Anyway, Nordic here, and I can say many authors are more popular and held in higher regard than Twain here. This may partly be because Twain doesn't seem to be marked by any individual and outstanding attributes, or at least I don't remember hearing of any. A good writer might be forgotten or not paid attention to if there are no clear distinctive traits or distinguishing characteristics that would make him or her different from or memorable compared to other good writers.

>> No.1521586

>>1521581
Protip: The implication of >>1521555
is that >>1521550
is an ignoramus.

>> No.1521587

Twain is distinctly American. I can't imagine why other countries would care.

>> No.1521589

>>1521587
That old b&w film.

>> No.1521590

>>1521586
Ahh, thanks for clarifying that. I suppose this is what you get for not having English as your first language.

>> No.1521593

Lookit all the fags what don't know shit about Twain

>> No.1521612

Brit here

we've heard of huckleberry finn and tom sawyer and some one with some black guy going up the river (not sure which one that is: huckleberry finn?)

But that's it. He seems acutely American so no point knowing it here. It's like teaching Shakespeare in the US: they just don't get it.

>> No.1521618

>>1521612
great post and agree wholeheartedly on all points

>> No.1521621

makes for good Rush lyrics

>> No.1521622

>>1521621
hey so does shakespeare for that matter

>> No.1521632

>>1521612

10/10

>> No.1521634

>>1521632
>mad that Americans are uncultured morons who are incapable of appreciating Shakespeare on the level of Britain

face it, americans are stupid

>> No.1521637

He writes satire about American issues. Why would anyone care that much except the people that have been taught about those issues? I mean if you study American history then you're going to get the same impact that the people in the US get, but if not then you're going to be at a loss to most of his messages.

unlike Poe or Shakespeare who have less of their messages contextualized in outside ideas. They kind of stated a lot of what they meant, and their wit could be deciphered by anyone with a brain (part of the reason I enjoy them more).

>> No.1521639

tom sawyer was compulsory literature in my school when i was 13, i think.

that's all i know of twain's work, however.

>> No.1521640

>>1521637
Have you even read amything by Twain??

>> No.1521642

>>1521634
>thinks that it's hard to understand Shakespeare at all
>thinks in simplistic black/white mindset of smart/stupid
>generally an idiot.

CLARIFICATIONS ABUNDANT

>> No.1521648

>>1521640
only Huck Finn and parts of Tom Sawyer.

>> No.1521651

Oh right. Charles Dickens wrote ab out England social issues in the 19th century. He even incorporated dialect of English lower class into hnis books. It's not like any non-English would understand so why read him??

>> No.1521652

>>1521642
>american easily getting trolled
Jesus christ, I was just kidding but now I genuinely believe it: Americans are retarded.

>> No.1521656

I'm Spanish. Few people read Mark Twain here and obviously he isn't part of any academic curriculum (maybe he's an optional reading in English literature specializations). Tom Sawyer and, to a much lesser extent, Huck Finn are fairly popular though, but because of the tv series for kids and comics versions. Some of his classic quotes as well. Those few fans are dedicated I think. Actually, for a XIX century anglo-saxon writer, Twain is published in Spain with some regularity, pretty much every book of him is available on bookstores.

think Twain is criminally underrated around the world. I believe his brand of humour translates pretty well for other languages.

>> No.1521669

The only reason why the name Mark Twain sounds familiar to most foreigners, is because he has been referenced in cartoons, which are themselves referenced since Tom Sawyer is compulsary reading and thus united statetian (I know, I know it sounds dumb) children can relate.

Edgar Allan Poe is known, on the other hand, because he is motherfucking EDGAR ALLN POE.

One of my friends over here once thought Edgar Allan Poe was from the country I come from and me and my other friends laughed at him for, about a month. And my friends aren't really a culture adoring bunch, literature even less so.

>> No.1521674

>>1521642
Understanding Shakespeare is hard men.

>> No.1521675

>>1521669
edgar allan poe is only known in europe because of baudelaire

>> No.1521677

>>1521674
He seems easy to understand at first, but as you start peeling away the layers he becomes more and more difficult..

>> No.1521686
File: 25 KB, 337x380, [Chihiro]_The_World_God_Only_Knows_-_02_[1280x720_H.264_AAC][34A18370].mkv_snapshot_00.13_[2011.01.26_19.40.15].jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
1521686

>>1521652
>implying American is the best country in the world in every way

>> No.1521697

>>1521677
WT??? I didnt know.
thats awesome.

>> No.1521783 [DELETED] 

I'm taking a Twain and America class write now at university

>> No.1522839

>>1521622
So does Ayn Rand. :-P